US President Donald Trump on Saturday warned of imposing 100 per cent tariffs on goods imported from Canada if the country moves forward with its trade deal with China.
Taking to Truth Social, Trump slammed Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and said that if he "thinks he is going to make Canada a 'Drop Off Port' for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken."
"If Governor Carney thinks he is going to make Canada a 'Drop Port' for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken. China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life," he said.
"If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the U.S.A," he added.
“Canada and China have reached a preliminary but landmark trade agreement to remove trade barriers and reduce tariffs,” Carney told the media after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping.
If finalised, China, which used to be Canada’s largest market for canola seed, will reduce tariffs on canola products to around 15 per cent by 1 March, down from the current 84 per cent, as per the deal.
China will also allow Canadian citizens to enter the country visa-free. In return, Canada will import 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) under new preferential tariffs of 6.1 per cent.
China–Canada ties were strained after Canadian authorities arrested the daughter of Huawei’s founder on a US warrant. In retaliation, China detained two Canadians on espionage charges.
